Pathfinder - The Fighter Handbook

Disclaimer

I will use content from the core rules, but will intentionally omit any content not published
on the official Pathfinder SRD due to the
unmanageable volume of non-SRD content, and the wildly varying quality of non-SRD content.
If you would like me to write handbooks for specific content not published on the official
SRD, please email me and I will consider it on a case-by-case
basis. I will use the color coding scheme which has become common among Pathfinder build
handbooks. Also note that many colored items are also links to the Paizo SRD.

Red: Bad, useless options, or options which are extremely situational.

Orange: OK options, or useful options that only apply in rare circumstances

Green: Good options.

Blue: Fantastic options, often essential to the function of your character.

Temporary Note: Pathfinder Unchained and Occult Adventures were
both recently added to the SRD. I'm excited to explore them, and I am actively working
on adding their contents to my collection of handbooks. I appreciate your patience while
I make these changes.

Introduction

The fighter is one of the simplest classes in Pathfinder, but it is also one of
the most conceptually flexible. A new fighter is a blank canvas, and can take nearly
any form, but typically excels as a Defender or Striker. The fighter's biggest problem
is that they are typically forced to specialize to remain effective, and tend to be
pigeon-holed by their combat strategy. With no magic and terrible skills, the Fighter
has a lot of trouble functioning where their combat skills don't apply.

This guide is intentionally sparse. Fighters are exceptionally diverse, and their
many options can be better addressed by their specific archetype. For further guidance,
see my Fighter Archetype Breakdown.

Fighter Class Features

Hit Points: d10 hit points like nearly every other
front-line class.

Base Attack Bonus: Full BAB.

Saves: Good fortitude saves, but many fighters have
major problems with Reflex and Will saves.

Proficiencies: All armor and shields, include Tower shields,
and martial weapons. The fighter has a huge variety of options, and with plenty of bonus
feats they can supplement these options with exotic weapon proficiency.

Skills: Likely the worst skill list in the game, and Fighters
often dump intelligence to 7. 2+ skill ranks is almost nothing, but many fighters still
can't find a good way to use all of their skill ranks.

Bonus Feats: Bonus feats are why most people play a Fighter
(or at least take a class dip). With a feat at level one and another at every even-numbered
class level, the Fighter gets a total of 22 feats by level 20 (23 for humans), giving
you a dizzying number of options. On top of this, the fighter gets a free retraining
option every 4 levels which allows you to pick up feats with high prerequisites by
trading in low-level feats which aren't paying off anymore. Do silly things like trade
in Toughness for Improved Critical at level 8.

Bravery (Ex): Situational. This ability is replaced by
almost every Fighter archetype.

Armor Training (Ex): This greatly reduces the need for
Mithral armor, and makes Dexterity much more important for Fighters than it is for
other heavily armored characters. The ability to move at normal speed in medium
and eventually heavy armor makes charging easier, and lends itself well to highly
mobile builds.

Weapon Training (Ex): On top of "exclusive" access to
Weapon Specialization (many classes can take feats as a Fighter), Weapon Training
provides a bonus to attacks and damage with groups of weapons.

Axes: Axes typically have a high critical multiplier
and a 20 threat range, but are otherwise comparable to heavy blades. The Axes
group includes a reach option (Bardiche) and a ranged option (throwing axe).

Blades, Heavy: Contains a bunch of great melee
options, including the Scimitar, Falchion, and Faltcata. However, with no reach
or ranged options, it lacks versatility

Blades, Light: Includes the Dagger, Kukri, and Rapier,
making this the obvious choice for finesse Fighters. Daggers provide an excellent
option for both melee and ranged combat, though they suffer from a very short range
increment.

Bows: A very small group, but the obvious choice for archers.
A good second choice for primarily melee Fighters who need a solid ranged weapon.

Close: Largely reserved for backup weapons, but
includes shield spikes. For shield fighters who like to shield bash, the Close
weapon group is your best bet.

Crossbows: Crossbows have a huge feat tax compared to bows,
and can't compete in terms of damage. The biggest draw for crossbows is their
complete lack of dependence on Strength.

Double weapons: With the possible exception of the
double-chained kama, are usually terrible. There are rare builds which can easily switch
between two-weapon fighting and using one end of a weapon as a two-handed weapon,
and your GM may allow you to make attacks of opportunity as though using a double
weapon two-handed.

Firearms: Generally best reserve for Gunslingers,
but potentially a good second choice for a melee Fighter who needs a good ranged
weapon.

Flails: The Flails group offers a lot of great options
for Defender builds and Trip builds. Flails often provide bonuses to Trip and/or
Disarm, and with a few feats the Whip can provide superior reach similar to the
Spiked Chain in 3.5. Don't be tempted by the Spiked Chain in Pathfinder; it is
worthless.

Hammers: Like Axces, but with no reach option.

Monk: Lots of interesting and diverse options, but
most of them are exotic and their damage is poor.

Natural: Only works for very weird builds.

Polearms: Reach: The weapon group.

Siege Engines: Save this for NPCs.

Spears: More Simple options than Polearms, but
Spears typically have a range increment in place of the special abilities on
most Polearms.

Thrown: An excellent second choice for primarily
melee Fighters. The range increment isn't as good as a Bow, but they're much
cheaper and already apply your Strength bonus to damage.

Armor Mastery (Ex): A bit late in the game, but DR/- is
always welcome.

Weapon Mastery (Ex): Absolutely fantastic. Making critical
hits more reliable provides a massive boost to your damage, and you can retrain Critical
Focus if you haven't taken any critical feats.

Abilities

Unfortunately it's impossible to make broad generalizations about abilities for
Fighters. Because they are so diverse, ability allocation must be similarly diverse.

Str: Nearly every fighter needs a bonus to Strength,
including archers. For melee fighters, this is your primary ability.

Dex: Coupled with Armor Mastery, high Dexterity can
provide an excellent bonus to AC in even the heaviest armor. For ranged or finesse
fighters, this is your primarily ability.

Con: Hit points are crucial for Fighters because they
tend to be the party's front line.

Int: The Fighter's skills are garbage, and you can't get
less than one skill rank.

Wis: Only needed for Will saves, but don't dump it.

Cha: Worthless unless you plan to use Intimidate.

Races

The Fighter is a good option for nearly any race, and different races lend
themselves to a variety of different builds.

Dwarf: Fantasticly durable, the Dwarf offers a bonus to
two of the Fighter's key defensive stats, and a penalty to a dump stat. The Dwarf's
additional defensive abilities add further bonuses, and access to Dwarf weapons as
martial weapons grants some helpful options like the Dwarven Longhammer and the
Dwarven Waraxe, which are somewhat bland but offer a bit of extra damage.

Elf: The Elf is primarily a spellcasting race, but
with some alternate racial traits the Elf can make a decent finesse fighter.

Gnome: The Gnome is not a great Fighter. With a penalty
to Strength and a bonus to Charisma, the Gnome has very little to offer.

Half-Elf: The Half-Elf is versatile, especially with
some alternate racial traits.

Half-Orc: A flexible ability bonus and Darkvision are
both great for the Fighter. The other racial bonuses also play well to the Fighter's
strengths, and the racial bonus to Intimidate can offset dumping Charisma.

Halfling: Your best bet for a small Fighter, the Strength
penalty is offset by the Dexterity bonus. The Charisma bonus is wasted, as are most
of the Halfling's other racial bonuses, but some alternate racial traits can make
the Halfling very viable. However, because Enlarge Person doesn't give the Halfling
reach, it falls short as a Defender.